Posts tagged ‘Malcolm Turnbull’

Malcolm Turnbull has rejected the Chief Scientist recommendation of a Clean Energy Target and given us a National Energy Guarantee in it’s place which will mostly focus on reliability and affordability with limited emissions reduction.

This policy is guaranteed to keep coal and gas playing a substantial role in electricity production and act to slow down the take up of renewables, batteries and other despatchable technologies such as pumped hydro and solar thermal.(more…)

Environmentalists rally at Parliament House before hearings into tax-deductibility status of environment groups

Australian environmentalists have been mobilising in an effort to stop environmentally damaging projects, particularly coal mining. The Abbott government wanted to restrict the influence of the environment movement by using legislation. A recent example was their attempt to stop environmentalists mounting legal challenges to projects. This followed the successful challenge to the Carmichael coalmine by Mackay Conservation Group (including former CAM member Ellen Roberts). However, the legislation to restrict environmentalists’ legal challenges has not passed the Senate, and news reports suggest that the Turnbull government may no longer pursue this.

The Victorian government has spoken in favour of environmental groups engaging in advocacy. However, some representatives of the mining industry have used the hearings to accuse groups of illegal activity. For example, at one hearing, a mining industry representative claimed that environmentalists had set a trap to kill a local drover. These accusations have been made under cover of parliamentary privilege, which protects submissions and witnesses from libel lawsuits. It is not surprising that some have labelled this inquiry a witch hunt.

Let’s hope the Turnbull government calls off this attack on the environment movement. For more information, see article here, here and media release here.

After a leadership ballot, we have a new prime Minister who does not deny the climate science. The defeat of Abbott will be welcomed due to his climate denial and climate inaction, especially after his laughing response to Peter Dutton’s offensive joke about ‘water lapping at your door’, a reference to sea level rise affecting Pacific Island Nations.

But before you get your hopes up, In a post ballot press conference Prime Minister elect Malcolm Turnbull said “Our Climate policy is very well designed and one I support today.”

Deputy Leader and Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop immediately piped up and said that Australia will stick to current emission reduction targets for the Paris climate talks.(more…)